Organiser Shaun Murrihy said a record field of 461 completed the 10-kilometre run and six-kilometre run/walk events on offer on Sunday afternoon.

Jack Hockley-Samon won the 10km run while Kate Winnen was the first female home. The 6km champion was Sam Crow.

The course took runners from Gardens Oval down Griffiths Street to Connolly Street, where they joined East Beach.

They followed the sand all the way to the Moyne River mouth before rejoining Griffiths Street at Battery Hill.

The 6km runners headed directly back to Gardens Oval while the 10km runners crossed the Moyne River and completed a loop of Southcombe Park. “Some people didn’t know the course and when I explained it to them they’re like ‘on the beach?’,” Murrihy said.

“But our beach is pretty firm and it was fairly low tide. There wouldn’t be many fun runs that can take in that scenery.”

Murrihy said he was encouraged by the number of families who took part, with many running together.

“It was really family-oriented more than strong competition. I found a lot of families did it and a lot of them finished together.”